diff --git a/src/util/virnetdevtap.c b/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
index 98e27bb268..7488a4c0f1 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ virNetDevTapGetRealDeviceName(char *ifname ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 #ifdef TAPGIFNAME
     char *ret = NULL;
     struct dirent *dp;
+    DIR *dirp = NULL;
     char *devpath = NULL;
     int fd;